Abstract: In an energy automation system for an electrical energy supply network, a local data processing device executes a program with functions for controlling and/or monitoring the energy supply network. The processing device is connected to a plurality of automation devices and to at least one remote data storage device, in which at least one program component for the program is stored. The start phase of the program is shortened by using a copy of the program component stored locally. When the program execution starts, the local data processing device checks if the copy of the local program component matches the current program component stored in the remote data storage device. The local data processing device executes the program with the copy of the program component if there is a match. Otherwise, it retrieves the program component from the remote memory and executes the program using the retrieved program component.